Top 10 Travel Reads

This well-loved book tells the tale of a real-life prison break in French Guiana. An autobiographical adventure, this animated memoir depicts Henri (Papillon) Charriere's escape and retreat through Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad and onto Colombia. This incredible portrayal of his journey through the jungle, across the Caribbean and living with an indigenous tribe in Colombia will have you on tenterhooks and dreaming of your own South American getaway.

This true story by Jon Krakauer follows the adventures of Chris McCandless as he hitchhikes north, across the US, towards the wilderness of Alaska. Dive into a world of vast canyons, raging rivers and snow-covered mountains where this solo adventurer sought to escape his privileged upbringing and find his true self. Living hand to mouth in bitterly cold temperatures and surrounded by hungry bears, his isolation eventually leads to his demise. However, this vivid tale paints a candid picture of the joys and downfalls of a nomadic lifestyle and will ignite the imagination of any fearless explorer.

Dervla Murphy is renowned for her plethora of authentic adventure travel books, but 'The Island That Dared' is one of our favourites. This compelling tale recounts her journey to Cuba; the first with her daughter and grandchildren, and then as an elderly lady trying to explore on foot and alone. Be transported into the heart of Cuba and join Dervla as she goes beyond the beaten track to uncover the true nature of everyday life in post-revolution Cuba.

This autobiographical account of the naturalist Gerald Durrell's childhood in Corfu from 1935 - 1939, gives us a joyful and amusing insight into his whimsical life on this beautiful Greek island, in a time long before any tourism arrived. Join his adventures as he uncovers a plethora of fascinating wildlife and spellbinding landscapes while navigating relationships with eccentric family members. If you're planning a family holiday to the Greek islands, this is one not to be missed.

"Genuinely one of THE best adventure books I've ever read." Carmel Hendry, Explore Product Manager for the Americas

Transport yourself into a world of bitterly cold winds, brutal weather systems and unforgiving landscapes as you join Scott's ill-fated Terra Nova expedition to the Antarctic in 1910–1913. A memoir, written by fellow adventurer Apsley Cherry-Garrard, this gripping first-hand account goes into great detail about the team's challenges and is virtually impossible to put down. We especially enjoyed the scene when four of the team set out to collect King-Emperor Penguin eggs while the rest waited out the winter - the suspense is overwhelming.